I’m Marie Segares from Underground Crafter. I’ve mentioned before that I love crochet granny squares, and recently, I shared three free 6” square patterns on Stitch and Unwind:
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| Circle with Popcorn Square | Mayapple Flower Square | Summer Marigold Granny Square |
If you’re a granny square lover like me, you’ve probably made “stash buster” blankets combining a variety of squares by different designers. These typically have a folky, scrappy look.
But what if you want to use many different squares to create a blanket that looks more cohesive and planned? Today, I’ll share 5 tips for designing a blanket that has the look that you want while combining granny square patterns from different sources.
1) Start by selecting colors
For a scrappy look, use 7 or more colors. For a planned blanket, choose a more limited color palette. Pick 3-4 complementary colors for the squares and 1 additional color for borders and joins.
2) Pick patterns that connect easily
Your blanket will have a more uniform look if each row is the same size. The simplest way to do this is to select square patterns of the same size. 4”, 6”, 8”, 12”, and 20” square patterns are common options.
If you’d like more variety, choose patterns that easily interchange. For example, one 12” square can be joined to four 6” squares, or to nine 4″ squares easily.
Nine 4″ granny squares, one 12″ granny square, or four 6″ granny squares join to create three 12″ square blocks.
3) Lay out the final blanket before joining
A blanket will look most cohesive if you lay it out and choose your favorite arrangement before joining squares together. In this way, you can
You can lay out motifs on a large flat surface (like your bed), or you take a picture of each square and sample your virtual layout using PicMonkey collages.
4) Choose a join to create the right look
Sometimes, an invisible join on the wrong (back) side of the blanket is best. You can whipstitch squares together with a yarn needle, or slip stitch them together with a hook.
On the other hand, a more visible join, like using single crochet join on the right (front) side to create a dimensional sashing, or using a lacy join to create a more delicate look, might be the right fit for your project.
Repeat Crafter Me has a tutorial for using single crochet on the right side to join blanket squares together. This image courtesy of repeatcrafterme.com.
You can find more options in 10 Unique Ways to Join Granny Squares.
5) Unify the blanket with a border
Pull all of the squares and colors of the project together with a border using a solid color. Use your favorite stitch pattern, or try out one of these tutorials:
I hope you found these tips helpful! Share your tips for designing afghans using squares by different designers in the comments. If you love crocheting blankets, you may also enjoy my free pattern for the Rectangular Sampler Blanket!
- Free Crochet Pattern: Simple Lace Isosceles Shawl - June 9, 2022
- Full Pattern: Summer Marigold Granny Square - May 27, 2022
- Tips and Techniques: How To Block Your Crochet Projects - May 24, 2022
